JPH05297250A - Optical semiconductor module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prolong the lifetime of an optical semiconductor module of the pig tail type, in which a plurality of light emitting/receiving elements and a plutrality of optical fibers are coupled together, by hermetically sealing the package of semiconductor module. CONSTITUTION:The two surfaces and two sides of a sheet-form light waveguide path 2 are metallized, and the path 2 is fixed sealedly to a casing 4 in the part B by soldering, while an optical element package 5 is fixed sealedly to the casing 4 in the part C by means of soldering or welding. The light emitted from a semiconductor laser array 1 is cast into the plane-form optical waveguide path 2 and transmitted through it to be led to an optical fiber array 3 which is fusion attached to the path 2 in the part A. Hermetic sealing of the whole module permits preventing corrosion of the optical elements mounted inside to lead to prolongation of the module life.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical semiconductor module, and more particularly to an optical semiconductor module suitable for use in optical communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of an example of a conventional optical semiconductor module. In FIG. 5, 1
4 is an electrode pattern, 15 is an optical fiber, 16 is a fiber support, 17 is an insulating film, 18 is a guide, and 19 is a substrate. The module shown in FIG. 5 is an optical semiconductor module in which a plurality of light emitting / receiving elements and an optical fiber are coupled, and is a parallel transmission optical module.

In this prior art, the substrate 19 supporting a plurality of light emitting or light receiving elements arranged in an array.
Then, the end face on the side optically coupled with the element is obliquely cut at about 45 degrees, and the array-shaped optical fiber 15 in which the element and the array pitch are the same is superposed on the substrate with their optical axes substantially aligned. The optical fiber support portion 16 is configured to be coupled via a guide 18 and an insulating film 17.

As a conventional technique relating to this type of optical semiconductor module, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 220010/1990 is known.

[0005]

In the prior art described above, arrayed optical elements are arranged on a flat substrate so that the light entering / exiting direction is the vertical direction, and the end face of the optical fiber is obliquely cut at about 45 degrees. Since the optical fiber end face and the optical element are configured to be coupled to each other, the optical axis can be adjusted by the size of the guide of the optical fiber supporting portion, and the optical fiber manufactured in advance to a desired size. The pitch and the positional relationship between the guides provided on the optical fiber supporting portion and the optical fibers can be determined by the array pitch of the optical elements and the positional relationship between the guide grooves provided on the substrate and the optical elements, respectively.

Therefore, in the prior art, the optical axis can be adjusted only by sliding the optical fiber supporting portion along the guide groove, and the clearance between the members for adjusting the optical axis and the space for fixing the members can be adjusted. Is unnecessary, and the size can be reduced.

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since it is a pigtail type module with an optical fiber array, it is difficult to hermetically seal the entire module because the joint portion between the optical fiber array and the optical fiber support portion becomes an obstacle.
As a result, there is a problem in that the life of the light emitting / receiving element or the IC mounted in the module cannot be ensured, and corrosion of these cannot be prevented.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to provide an optical semiconductor module capable of ensuring the life of the light emitting / receiving element and preventing corrosion of the light emitting / receiving element. Especially.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the object is to couple a plurality of light emitting and receiving elements and a plurality of optical fibers through a planar optical waveguide, and remove the waveguide end face of the planar optical waveguide. Metallized both sides and sides, insert the planar optical waveguide into a metallic housing, seal and fix with solder, and adjust the optical axis of this metallic housing in advance to a package with multiple light emitting and receiving elements mounted. After that, it is achieved by sealing and fixing with welding or solder.

[0010]

Since the flat optical waveguide whose both sides and side surfaces are metallized is sealed and fixed to the metal housing, the entire module is hermetically sealed when a plurality of light emitting / receiving elements and a plurality of optical fibers are coupled. It is possible to secure the life of the light emitting / receiving element or the IC and prevent corrosion, and it is possible to supply an optical semiconductor module having a stable function.

[0011]

Embodiments of an optical semiconductor module according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a semiconductor laser array, 2 is a planar optical waveguide, 3 is an optical fiber array, 4 is a housing, 5 is an optical element package, 6 is a submount, 7 is a lead electrode, and 12 is an IC array.

The first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is an application of the present invention to a multicore semiconductor laser module using a semiconductor laser array.

In FIG. 1, the planar optical waveguide 2 has its both sides and side surfaces excluding its end face metallized, and is fixed to the metallic housing 4 by solder sealing at the portion B.
The flat optical waveguide 2 and the optical fiber array 3 are fusion-bonded at the portion A.

The optical device package 5 includes a lead electrode 7 and
The IC array 12 and the semiconductor laser array 1 fixed to the submount and arranged so as to face the end surface of the planar optical waveguide 2 are adjusted to the optical axis and then soldered or welded to the housing 4 at the C portion. Sealed and fixed.

In the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the light emitted from the semiconductor laser array 1 is incident on the end face of the flat optical waveguide 2 and propagates through the flat optical waveguide 2. Coupled to the fiber array 3.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 8 is a photodiode array, and other reference numerals are the same as those in FIG. The second embodiment of the present invention is one in which the present invention is applied to a multi-core photodiode module using a photodiode array.

The second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG.
The semiconductor laser array 1 in is replaced with a photodiode array 8, and the other parts are configured similarly to the case of FIG. Then, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the light propagating through the optical fiber array 3 enters the planar optical waveguide 2, propagates through the planar optical waveguide 2, and enters the photodiode array 8.

The first and second embodiments of the present invention described above respectively perform transmission and reception of optical signals, but in the present invention, the semiconductor laser array 1 and the photodiode array 8 are mixed. As a result, a module that transmits and receives an optical signal can be provided. In this case, the planar optical waveguide 2 is provided with the functions of multiplexing, splitting and branching light.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, 9 is a semiconductor laser and 10
Is a photodiode, 11 is an optical fiber, and other reference numerals are the same as in FIG. The third embodiment of the present invention is one in which the present invention is applied to a wavelength multiplex transmission / reception module using a semiconductor laser and a photodiode.

The third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 is provided with ports P1 and P2 in the planar optical waveguide 2, and one end face of these is arranged so as to face the semiconductor laser 9 and the photodiode 10. However, the other side of the ports P1 and P2 is connected to the optical fiber 11, which is different from the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above, but the other points are the same.

In the third embodiment of the present invention thus constructed, the light of wavelength λ1 emitted from the semiconductor laser 9 is incident on the port P1 of the planar optical waveguide 2 and propagates through the common waveguide. It is incident on the fiber 11 and propagates to the other module. On the other hand, the light of wavelength λ2 propagating through the optical fiber 11 propagates through the common waveguide of the planar optical waveguide 2 and enters the photodiode 10 from the port P2.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the end surface of the planar optical waveguide 2 and the optical element are opposed to each other to perform optical coupling. It is also possible to equip it with the lens.

Next, an example of the assembling method of the above-described first to third embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 showing the outer shape of the module.

First, the flat optical waveguide 2 and the optical fiber array 3 are fusion-spliced at the portion A by using a CO ₂ laser or the like, and then both surfaces and side surfaces other than the waveguide end surface of the flat optical waveguide 2 are connected. Metallized with solderable Ni, Cu, etc. Further, the planar optical waveguide 2 is inserted into the housing 4 through the planar optical waveguide insertion opening 13, and then the optical device package 5 in which the semiconductor laser array is mounted from the side opposite to the planar optical waveguide insertion opening 13 of the housing 4. Insert and adjust the optical axis.

The adjustment of the optical axis is performed by the coupling relationship between the optical element package 5 and the housing 4 about the X and Y axes, and Z
This is done by the planar light guide 2 about the axis. Then B
The housing 4 and the planar optical waveguide 2 are fixed by sealing the portion with solder, and the housing 4 and the optical element package 5 are fixed by sealing the portion C with solder or welding.

At the time of sealing and fixing the parts B and C, the housing 4 is sealed by enclosing an inert gas.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of optical elements and the plurality of optical fibers are coupled to each other through the planar optical waveguide whose both surfaces and both side surfaces are metallized. Also in the pigtail type optical semiconductor module using, it is possible to easily perform the hermetic sealing, so that it is possible to prevent the internal optical element from being corroded, and it is possible to extend the life of the optical semiconductor module. it can.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the optical semiconductor module can be easily hermetically sealed, so that the life of the optical semiconductor module can be extended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an outer shape of an optical semiconductor module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a configuration of an optical semiconductor module according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Semiconductor Laser Array 2 Planar Optical Waveguide 3 Optical Fiber Array 4 Housing 5 Optical Device Package 6 Submount 7 Lead Electrode 8 Photodiode Array 9 Semiconductor Laser 10 Photodiode 11, 15 Optical Fiber 12 IC Array 13 Planar Optical Waveguide Insertion Port 14 Electrode Pattern 16 Fiber support 17 Insulating film 18 Guide 19 Substrate

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. In an optical semiconductor module having a plurality of light emitting / receiving elements mounted in the same package and having a function of transmitting, receiving or transmitting / receiving an optical signal, a planar light guide in which both sides and side surfaces except an end surface thereof are metallized. A plurality of light emitting / receiving elements and a plurality of optical fibers are coupled to each other, and the flat optical waveguide is hermetically sealed and fixed to the housing, and the plurality of light emitting / receiving elements are mounted. An optical semiconductor module, wherein the package is fixed to the housing in an airtight manner. 2. The optical semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide has a function of multiplexing and demultiplexing light. 3. The optical semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide has a function of branching light. 4. The optical semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide has a function of performing multiplexing, demultiplexing and branching of light. 5. The optical semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide has a light switching function. 6. The optical semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein a condensing lens is provided on an end surface of the planar optical waveguide.